Less than a week ago, Apartment Therapy launched a new Instagram account @iplanteven. Apartment Therapy is a home and decor site, designed to inspire anyone to live a more beautiful and happy life at home. The site, launched in 2001 by Maxwell Ryan, engages over 20 million people and showcases inspirational tips and real life style mavens. They produce 125 pieces of original content every week, and we are thrilled that they are branching out to shine a light on Regenerative Design.

The idea for Planted Design started in the early 2000’s, when our CEO and Founder, Amanda Goldberg, was studying Industrial & Interaction Design and Entrepreneurship at Syracuse University. She noticed that plants were lacking in all aspects of design, which led to her thesis of a living desk. Amanda created a fully functional piece of office furniture where the user was able to see plants and have his or her feet in real grass while doing work. From there, Amanda received a Masters in Regenerative Design from Cal Poly Pomona and started Planted Design in her backyard in 2015.

Plants are this world’s first home accessory. Every species has an inherent beneficial quality and its own unique aesthetic. Plants improve indoor air quality, remove certain toxins and foster calming effects in humans. We’ve been working tirelessly to bring these benefits to our clients and wake-up every morning compelled to add greenery into people’s lives. And let’s face it, who ever said, “I wish I didn’t spend so much time in nature today”?

So why is it important to plants that @iplanteven exists? Because people are terrified of taking care of them. If you type “Taking care of…” into a Google search, orchids and succulents are searched more than tattoos and puppies. People give up on raising plants very easily and then classify themselves as non-plant people for life. We hope that Apartment Therapy will use its design credibility to let @iplanteven followers feel empowered with practical advice and lots of resources, so a larger domestic audience will always think about sustainable home decor and products that benefit the environment.

Just like any home improvement or DIY project, plants require varying levels of effort. We have installed over 80 living and moss walls around the country in three short years. We are hired by non-plant people every week, so we know they need ZERO maintenance options. If you’re one of these people, here are some plants that may work for you.

Preserved Moss Plant Paintings. Our preservation process allows the plant to retain its natural look, texture, and color. There are no toxic chemicals and they should be kept in the same conditions as any other piece of wall art in your home.

Succulents. If you have a friend who has a green-thumb and is willing to share, take a good pair of scissors and cut off one of his or her succulent stems. Let the cut end of the stem scab over by keeping it out in the open air for three days. Then, pop it in some cactus soil. Give it plenty of sun, and only water it if you feel with our index finger that it is dry down to your first knuckle (about every two weeks).

Flowers. If you want to start small, bring flowers into your home on a weekly or bi-weekly basis. Look for simple tips, like putting a copper penny in tulip water to extend their life, and get used to taking care of them on a small scale. Take note of how they impact your mood and take pride in buying something from a farmer and not a superstore.

Plants keep animals alive, they clean the air we breathe and are essential in spurring urban development. We’ve never heard of a throw-pillow doing that. So best of luck to you @iplanteven! Welcome to the other side of design. The grass IS greener here.